Coordinating Conjunctions   Subordinating Conjunctions      Most Frequent  Exercises

Conjunctions

Conjunctions, like Prepositions, glue different bits of the sentence together. There are two kinds, coordinating (which add things together) and subordinating (which introduce subordinate clauses).

about Coordination and subordination. 

Coordinating Conjunctions 

Coordinating conjunctions, like the ones in red in the passage below, pose no difficulty to understanding. 
 

Du repos et beacoup d'eau, éventuellement du bouillon de poulet ou un grog brûlants: un adulte sans autre problème de santé n'a normalement besoin ni d'un médecin ni d'une salle d'urgence pour combattre une grippe. 

The following are usually considered coordinating conjunctions in French: 

mais, ou, et, donc, or, ni, car. 

but, or, and, so, now, neither/nor, for.

Subordinating Conjunctions 

Subordinating conjunctions are important links which you should be able to recognize easily (they all end in que except si, comme and quand) and understand quickly. The most common subordinating conjunction is  que, meaning that (or than in comparisons). Some of the others are written in one word, others in two or more. Here are the most common ones you should know: 
 

que (qu'), comme, si, quand, lorsque, parce que, puisque, alors que, tandis que, bien que, quoique, jusqu'à ce que, avant que, pour que 

 

On croyait que tout était perdu.

It was believed (that) all was lost (People believed...)

Si l'équipe a gagné, ce n'est pas à cause de l'argent.

If the team won, it's not because of money.

Exercises